How to (Efficiently) Heat Your Home This Winter

The outside temperature is dropping, but the good news is, Con Edison said the price of your heating bill will, too.

Lower fuel prices mean that warming your home will cost roughly 3.8 percent less than it did last winter, Con Edison reports, and even less for those using energy efficient furnaces and engaging in other energy-saving practices.

To aid in your quest toward energy efficiency, Con Ed has produced this video, which features an elderly gentleman named Fred sharing tips while digitally rendered leaves flutter around him. Here's the gist:

• Invest in energy efficient windows and doors, and ensure that they're properly closed.

• Routinely check your house for leaks, since faulty insulation allows costly hot air to flow straight through the cracks. You can accomplish this by testing for temperature fluctuations along the ceiling and floor using an infrared thermometer.

• Don't cover your radiators with furniture, since it will block airflow.

• Your thermostat should be set for 68 degrees during the day, and 60 degrees at night.

Con Edison also offers the following safety tips:

• Do not heat rooms with your range or oven, since they're not designed for space heating and can cause a fire. Using the appliances for heating can also deplete oxygen levels and cause a buildup of lethal carbon monoxide.

• Be sure heating and cooking appliances are properly adjusted, and working to manufacturer’s specifications and local building codes. Never operate a portable generator indoors.

• All heating systems, vents, and flues should be inspected and cleaned annually by a qualified technician.

• Never extinguish a pilot light. Blowing out the pilot doesn't stop gas from escaping and can create a dangerous inlet for natural gas. Don't create a gas leak to save a few pennies.

• If you smell a strong odor of gas, leave the premises immediately and take others with you. Do not strike a match, use a phone, switch on electrical appliances, lights, or even a flashlight in the area where you smell gas.

• Report all indoor and outdoor gas leaks 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling toll-free 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633).

Click here for more information on Con Edison's energy efficiency programs.